Defence Mechanisms

Finally, breathing heavy, Daniel drew back from the kiss to find Vala lying beneath him. She looked rather content in a cat-like way, though somewhat confused. “What just happened?” she asked.

“Well, if you have to ask that then we must be doing something wrong.”

“No, seriously,” Vala shifted out from under him slightly, straightening her top. “One minute you’re rambling on about how impossible it was to be with me and the next you’re kissing me. So forgive me for being a little confused.”

“You’re right,” Daniel sat back, keeping one hand on her waist so that she didn’t think he was pulling away from her. “I guess I do owe you an explanation.”

“An apology more like.”

“I never meant to hurt you, Vala,” he raised his hand to cup her cheek before returning it to her waist. “I was venting my frustrations at you, and that was wrong of me.”

“So you didn’t mean anything that you said?”

“I'm not an unstable, emotional wreck?” Vala sounded both hesitant and hopeful at the same time.

“You are a bit,” he smiled reassuringly as he said this, slipping his fingers under the edge of the top and idly stroking her skin. “So am I, for that matter. But you’re getting there, and I am very proud of how far you’ve come.”

Her hand closed over his wrist, halting its movements. “And you’ve never, ever, considered the possibility of being with me?”

“Not really, no. Which is strange, considering how I feel about you.”

“And how do you feel about me?”

Daniel took a deep breath. “I care about you, Vala. I care about you a lot. It snuck up on me, and I never meant for it to happen; but I really, really, care about you.”

Smiling, Vala let go of his wrist to trail her hand up his arm to the back of his neck, urging him down for a kiss. “If you care so much about me,” she began when they parted, “why didn’t you ever consider being with me?”

“You’re gonna make me say it, aren’t you?” he smiled, his hand resuming its idle stroking. “I guess it was because I couldn’t really imagine a serious relationship with you, and I’ve never really been one for one night stands. And that’s the impression I’ve always had from you—that you were looking for a good time, a quick fix; but nothing serious. That was why I vented my frustrations on you just now. I thought you were just messing around with me again, and I’d had enough of it. And I think it was a great disservice to you to assume that you could never mean anything by your flirting.

Vala was silent for a long moment, so long that Daniel began to fear that he had somehow offended her and closed her off, despite the fact that he had been trying to keep his tone as gentle and non-offensive as possible. However, she appeared to be thinking, considering his words. Finally she spoke. “You’re right.”

It was all she said, and Daniel blinked, waiting for more. “Um, I was right about what?” he asked when she failed to elaborate.

“For the most part I am looking for a good time, or a ‘quick fix’ as you put it. Which is not to say that I don’t feel… have feelings for you, but sometimes it’s easier that way. If I’m just out for a good time and don’t expect anything else, I don’t get hurt. It’s something that’s served me well in the past.”

“A defence mechanism, much like my venting. We’re as bad as each other. Does it work?”

She gave him a small smile. “Not anymore. Not with you. It’s just habit now.” Sitting up, she cupped his cheek and looked deep into his blue eyes. “I wasn’t messing with you, Daniel, and I wasn’t just looking for a good time. I’m not having a laugh at your expense, and though I’ve been bored, I wasn’t just looking for something to do. I only said what I did about not suggesting you had serious feelings because you rejected me.”

He closed his eyes. “I’m sorry, Vala. If I had known that you weren’t just messing around, I wouldn’t have…”

“Pushed me away?” she finished in a hopeful tone.

His reply was a soft kiss. “Like I said, I did you a great disservice.”

She returned the kiss, linking her arms around his neck as he slid his hand up her back under her top. “Shall we start again?” she asked when they parted for air.

Daniel’s reply was to grasp the edge of her black top and slowly inch it upwards. When he reached her armpits, Vala smiled and lifted her arms, allowing him to remove it fully. Discarding the top off the side of the bed, he brought his hands back to skim up her bare arms to her shoulders, brushing her dark locks back. Bringing his lips back to hers he lingered there only a moment before trailing kisses across her cheek to her ear. “Does this answer your question?” he whispered.

Vala moaned, tilting her head to give him easier access. Her hands drifted down to his belt, where they resumed their earlier actions of undoing it. Slowly she slipped the belt from the buckle, parting the ends so she could access the fly of his BDU pants. She felt Daniel groan against the side of her neck when her fingers slipped the button through the hole and slowly unzipped the fly. Her hands hovered there for a moment, causing his breath to hitch. But instead of slipping her hand into his briefs, she grabbed the edge of his black top and the tank underneath and started to lift.

Catching onto her intention, Daniel removed the items of clothing himself. Shirtless, he returned his hands to her bare arms. “Tease,” he murmured against her lips.

“Would you like me to tease, darling?” Vala shifted position, moving so that she was straddling his lap, grinning widely when he sucked in his breath at the contact. She tilted her hips in response.

He moved one arm to wrap tightly around her waist as his lips moved back to her neck. “Maybe I’ll tease you.”

“I didn’t think you were the type.”

“I may surprise you.” Reaching the junction of her neck and shoulder, his lips lingered there, lightly sucking the soft flesh. He slipped the strap off her shoulder, his hand skimming down her bare arm, feeling the goose bumps that appeared there. Without leaving a visual mark, he made his way further down, his mouth skimming over the material of her camisole, leaving a damp trail leading to her breast. With the arm around her waist supporting her, he gently leaned her back, his mouth travelling lower as his other hand came up to circle the breast he was suckling through the silky material of her camisole. Vala moaned, her arms coming up to encircle him, her hands going through his hair.

But before she got used to the sensations, Daniel abruptly pulled back, leaving a wet patch on her front. Placing a finger to her lips to silence her protests, he lifted her off his lap and onto the bed next to him. Lightly kissing her lips he slid off the bed to kneel at her feet.

“What are you doing, darling?” she wanted to know. “Although, I must say, I like this new position of yours.”

He chuckled. “You would.” Without further ado he busied himself removing her books and socks, lightly caressing each foot. Raising himself on his knees, he placed his hands on her knees and gently moved them apart. Running his hands up the outside of her legs, he moved closer as he reached her belt, taking his time in undoing the buckle and spreading the ends. With a wicked glint in his eyes, he ran his fingers over the smooth skim of her belly above the waistband of her pants, dipping them in and out a few times. Then he slipped the button through and slowly pulled the zipper down. He skimmed his fingers across the smooth skin that had been concealed there, dipping them low over the edge of her panties, encouraged by Vala’s little gasps.

Stopping short of actually cupping Vala, Daniel abruptly removed his fingers from her pants and placed his hands on her hips. “Up,” he said.

Vala, who had lain back and closed her eyes under his ministrations, opened them again in surprise. “Excuse me?”

“I need you to raise your hips for me,” he explained, tugging on the edges of her pants to indicate his meaning. “Please,” he added belatedly.

“But of course, darling,” she raised her hips to allow him to pull her pants down her long legs. Clad only in her camisole and matching panties, she swung her legs onto the bed and reached over to pull Daniel to his feet. “But this is leaving your rather overdressed.”

Daniel leaned forward to lightly kiss her lips. “We can take care of that later.”

“Or we can take care of it now,” a sly smile crossed Vala’s face as she pulled him closer. Stopping his mouth with a kiss, she reached down to tug on his BDU pants, only to have his hands close over hers, stopping them. “What? It’s a little hard to do what we’re planning if they don’t come off.”

“True. But if you try taking them off while I’m still wearing my boots, I’ll end up tripping over. A lot.”

“Speaking from personal experience, darling?”

He smirked. “Just let me take my boots off.” Bending over, he quickly untied the laces of his boots, acutely aware of the fact that she was caressing his butt.

“Finished?” she asked when he straightened up.

“Not quite,” putting toe-to-heel he managed to kick his boots off before both his trousers and briefs were pooled at his feet. He glanced down, chuckled, and looked back up at her. “Impatient, aren’t we?”

“Of course. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.” Boldly, Vala put her hand over his shaft, squeezing the hard length gently. When he sucked in his breath at the contact, she smiled and began slowly rubbing it up and down, running her other hand up his chest to feel the hitching of his breath.

Her touch was magic, but Daniel knew that his self control was limited. It had been a while for him, and resisting the charms of Vala had been a lot harder than he ever let on. He knew that if he let Vala continue on for much longer it would be over way too soon. Gently taking hold of her hands, he brought them up to his lips. “If you’ve been waiting for this for a long time, we don’t want it to be over too soon, do we?”

“Are you trying to tell me you have no stamina?” she asked, removing his glasses and placing them on the bedside table.

“You’ll have to wait and see.” He gently pushed her back so that she was lying prone on the bed, and with one hand on her waist he climbed onto the bed to lie next to her. Bringing his other hand up to her neck he began kissing her slowly and sensually, running his tongue over her lips until they opened willingly under his. Slipping his tongue in to duel with hers, he trailed his hand up under her camisole to cup her breast, stroking the soft skin, making gooseflesh appear in the wake of his fingers. He felt her moan at the back of the throat, her shudder beneath his ministrations, and he felt light-headed from his own rising passion and the lack of oxygen from the kiss.

Breaking the kiss, Daniel swept her dark locks away from her neck to plant warm kisses there. That hand slid down to pull on the ties of her camisole while his other hand trailed back down the soft skin of her stomach to the edge of her panties. Vala moaned and arched her back as the ties of her camisole slipped apart. His lips moved down to her shoulder, nudging the material out of the way as he went lower. Even while he kept up this assault his fingers probed lower, slipping into the edge of her panties to stroke her, sliding his finger into her.

Vala could feel herself getting wet under his ministrations, rapidly reaching her peak. But she was not one to lie passively in another’s control, even when it felt this good. In a move as quick as lightening she took control of the situation, flipping Daniel on his back and straddling his hips. Moreover, in that more she managed to remove her panties, a fact that clearly surprised her lover by the widening of his blue eyes and the way his fingers trailed down and across her hips unhindered by material.

“You are good,” he said approvingly, moving his hands to the edge of her camisole. Siting up, he pulled the camisole over her head, and brought his mouth close to hers. “How did you do that?”

“Just one of my many talents,” she replied, pushing him back down. With her hands on his chest, she sank down on his shaft easily, setting an easy pace up and down. His hands moved to her hips as he attempted to control the pace she set, but she resisted this control, tilting her hips and almost withdrawing from him completely before slamming her hips back down on his. Control was hers, and she made sure he knew it. Moving her hands to his, she guided one to her centre where they were joined and the other up to her breast. As he began to fondle that breast she moved her hand to the other one, arching her back as she increased the speed of her movements, her breathing becoming louder and heavier as her climax approached. She acted with complete abandon, touching herself as he touched her, squeezing her inner walls to bring him to the heights she was reaching.

“Vala,” Daniel gasped out. He was close, so close, and he wanted to make sure she reached her peak before he came. His fingers, guided by her own, stroked her where they were joined, finding and stimulating her clitoris as her pace increased even more. With a loud cry she suddenly came, her inner muscles clenching around him as she jerked and shuddered. He moved his hands back to her hips to hold her to him as he came, his hips pumping up into hers.

Vala slumped as though boneless onto Daniel’s chest, eliciting a soft ‘oof’ from him. “Sorry,” she murmured, “but I don’t have the energy to move.”

“That’s okay,” he replied, wrapping his arms around her hand holding her to him. “You can stay there as long as you want.”

She took him at his word and snuggled closer, nestling her head under his chin and relaxing under the rhythmic stroking of his hands. A comfortable silence fell between them, there seemed to be no need for words. Between the sensations from his hands and the sweat cooling on her skin, she began to shiver, just a little at first, but then a little more. “Oooh,”

“Are you getting cold?” Daniel asked solicitously.

“Mmm, yeah a little.”

“We should probably get under the covers,” he suggested, reaching over to pull the covers out from his left.

“A bit presumptive, aren’t we, darling?”

Daniel smiled up at her. “As I said before, I’m not one for one night stands. When I’m with a woman I care about, I want them to stay with me all night. You game?”

“I’m all yours.”

Soon she was back snuggled in his arms with her head nestled under his chin, this time under the covers and against the pillows. Silence again fell between them, but this time it felt different to Vala. Daniel again was stroking her back but she could not help feeling that his mind was no longer in it… or his heart. She could just be paranoid; her time with Tomin notwithstanding, she was not used to sticking around after sex. In her experiences since being taken as host by Qetesh, post-coital intimacies were practically unheard of. Maybe this was normal. So why couldn’t she shake the feeling he was not regretting his actions? Or was it that he was disgusted by the way she had taken control and the total abandon in which she acted? When she first met Daniel she could tell that he was rather straight-laced, though he had surprised her in the years since. But her time as host to Qetesh had exposed her to a wide range of sexual exploits and appetites that bled into her life since being freed from the Goa’uld. And while her actions with Daniel were extremely tame by comparison, maybe it was too much for him.

“Is there something on your mind, Vala?” Daniel asked, sensing her inner turmoil.

Trust him to notice, she thought. Not one for beating around the bush, she came right out and asked him, “I didn’t… shock you too much before, did I?”

“No, why do you ask?”

“Well, I did take control of things.”

“And why would that shock me?” he asked, puzzled.

“I don’t know, you weren’t impressed when I showed up that night in the negligee with the fluffy pink handcuffs. I didn’t think you’d be into anything kinky.”

He raised himself up on one elbow. “Well, firstly, you’d be surprised what I can get into. And secondly, you didn’t do anything kinky before. I quite enjoyed it. I enjoyed it very, very much, actually.” Leaning down, he kissed her softly.

“What about the handcuffs? You shut the door in my face.”

“Well, yes, but that was when I thought you were just bored and having fun at my expense.”

“So you’d let me use the handcuffs on you?”

“Maybe I’ll use them on you.” To forestall any further comment from her, Daniel leaned down again to kiss her. Tenderly at first, then deeper, running his tongue over her lips, encouraging her to open her mouth under his. Vala complied, and he immediately plunged his tongue in to duel with hers, pushing her onto her back and moving to lie between her legs. Even while he kissed her his hands were not idle, slowly roaming over her smooth skin, lingering in places that especially elicited a reaction from his lover, be it a shudder or a moan.

With a last kiss to her swollen lips, he moved downwards, leaving no part of her skin untouched, gently laving her with his tongue or nipping with his teeth. Slowly he went down one side of her neck, across her throat and other the other side as his hands moved to her breasts, raising goose bumps on her flesh. But as much as she enjoyed his ministrations, Vala soon yearned to exert control again and roll him over. But when she tried it, he was ready for her, using his muscled arms to gently by firmly hold her in place.

“It’s my turn for control now,” he whispered in her ear. “Let me make love to you.” He ran his tongue over the shell of her ear, his breath warm. “Let me make love to you.”

She let out a shuddering sigh when he took her earlobe between his teeth. She knew that if she really wanted to she could use one of the tricks she had up her sleeve (figuratively speaking) and flip him over to exert control; but his words floored her. Never in her extensive experience had anyone said those words to her. Most of the men she had been with were more interested in their own pleasure rather than hers; it was one of the reasons she would exert control and act with total abandon—it would often turn her lovers on as well as give her her own satisfaction. But here and now she decided to let Daniel have his way and make love to her. She could always take control if it did not work out. She was not disappointed.

When he sensed her compliance, Daniel once again began his trail downwards. Slowly his mouth covered every inch of her pale skin, lingering over tender spots, gently nipping her shoulders. Skimming his hands down her sides, his mouth reached the valley between her breasts, and with a final feather-light kiss, he rested his face there.

“Are you planning on moving any time soon?” Vala asked in amusement.

His reply was another kiss there as his hands skimmed back up to her breasts. When his hands reached their goal he nuzzled his way over to one breast, laving it with his tongue, leaving no part untouched. He then drew the breast fully into his mouth, sucking tenderly, while he groped the other one, tweaking the nipple. Once finished with that breast he moved to the other one, giving it the same treatment.

Vala could not believe what Daniel was doing to her. Never had a man made her feel this way, not even Tomin, who had been a tender lover. But what Daniel was invoking in her went far beyond that. When he was finished with her breasts he inched his way lower, leaving open-mouthed kisses in his wake, alternating them with little nips, always covering every inch of her skin. He paused when he reached her lower abdomen, his hands skimming over her flat stomach as he nuzzled his way to her navel. Running his tongue around the edge he treated it thoroughly before moving downwards, following his hands as they moved down her legs and to her centre. But just as his mouth reached the dark patch of hair at the junction of her legs, he paused again, halting all movements and confusing her.

“Why have you stopped?” she asked breathlessly.

He hovered there for a moment, blowing lightly on her skin, before moving back up level with her head, keeping one hand on her thigh. “That intimacy works better when we haven’t made love beforehand,” he whispered against her lips. “I’ll get to that next time.”

“What makes you think there…” she could not finish her question for Daniel began a simultaneous assault on her lips and at her centre. The slow, sensual kiss sent her head spinning, and the rhythmic stroking of her core and rubbing of her clit was sending shivers through her body. It soon proved to be too much, and she started moaning at the back of her throat.

He broke the kiss, breathing heavy. “That’s it, Vala, come for me,” he whispered hoarsely, rubbing just that little bit harder. He was rewarded with a loud moan and violent shuddering beneath him; and he pressed his lips to her sweaty brow. “Easy now, that’s it.”

“That’s it?” she asked breathlessly.

“I haven’t finished yet,” he whispered back teasingly. His shaft poised at her centre, ready to plunge into her depths, Daniel paused for a moment to steady himself and gazed down at his lover.

“What?”

“I don’t know which is more beautiful,” he mused. “Seeing you atop me earlier, back arched, head thrown back, riding me; or now, looking down at you beneath me, waiting for me to possess you.”

Vala shifted her hips, trying to encourage him to move things along. “Will you hurry up and possess me and quit torturing me?” she demanded.

He bent his head close to hers again. “But you have to admit it’s a sweet torture and you love it.” He captured her lips in a tender kiss and ever so slowly slid home. With his hands planted firmly on either side of her head, he kept his strokes slow and deep, almost withdrawing all the way before sliding in to the hilt. This pace was kept for what seemed like a long time to Vala, more of the ‘sweet torture’ that he had been giving her, and fresh from her previous orgasm, she could hardly stand it. She had never felt like this before, and she had no intention of exerting control, content in letting him make love to her. Of course, that did not mean she wouldn’t try and quicken his pace a notch. To her frustration, he resisted the attempt, keeping the pace steady. Arching her back, she clutched at his arms, meeting him thrust for thrust, clenching her inner muscles around his shaft.

Daniel groaned, sweat beading on his brow. He was trying to draw the experience out for Vala, but he was reaching the limits of his own endurance. Even when he was in control of their lovemaking, she still had him at the mercy of her body; and he knew he would not be able to keep the slow pace up much longer. Bending his head to meet her lips in a tender kiss, he suddenly began thrusting harder and faster, eliciting short, panting moans from her. Her nails dug into his arms as she continued to meet him thrust for thrust; driving him even harder and faster, culminating in a final thrust as he came, her inner muscles milking him as she reached her climax also.

His arms weakening, he slumped over her, barely managing to control his fall. “Now I don’t have the energy to move,” he panted.

“Well, as much as I might like that, I think you might get a bit heavy after a while.”

He chuckled. “Just give me a moment and then I’ll move.”

“Then what? We rest up ready for round three?”

Raising himself up on his elbows, he looked down at her. “Maybe, but I was thinking more of curling up and trying to get some sleep.”

“You’re getting presumptive again.”

“Like I told you, when I’m with someone I care about, I want them to stay all night.” He rolled off her and pulled the covers over them again. Lying on his side, he spooned her against him and asked, “What do you think?”

Vala snuggled back against him, holding his arm tightly against her. “I’ll give it a try,” she said playfully.

“Oh will you now?” he pressed a kiss behind her ear. “You’re not messing with me again, are you?”

“No,” she replied, the playfulness lost from her tone. “You said that you weren’t into one night stands; I have been in the past, but I don’t want that now. I’d like to see this through, see where it goes.”

Daniel smiled and kissed her again. “All we can do is take it one day at a time.”

“That’s all we do on this bloody ship!”

He chuckled again. “True. Let’s get some sleep.”

Vala blinked and opened her eyes. One of the annoying things about being on the Odyssey (and there were a lot of them) was the fact that it was impossible to tell if it was day or night without looking at a watch or some other time piece. It was the same at Stargate Command, which was located under a mountain, but it didn’t bother her so much there.

Picking up Daniel’s hand she looked at his wristwatch. “Wow,” she said aloud.

“What?” her lover asked blearily as he awoke. He tried to raise his arm to wipe the sleep from his eyes, but found it restrained by Vala. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” she replied, still staring at his watch. “I just can’t believe I slept that long. That’s the most sleep I’ve had in one hit since I got on this bloody ship.”

He chuckled. “It’s amazing what a little exercise will do for sleep patterns.” Rolling her onto her back, he smiled down at her. “Good morning,” he said, kissing her thoroughly.

“Good morning,” she broke the kiss to reply. “Any regrets about last night?”

He smiled wider. “None. You?”

“No.”

“Good.” Bending his head he kissed her again, slipping in his tongue when her mouth opened willingly under his. He lay over her as they kissed, his hands running down her bare sides.

Reluctantly, Vala broke the kiss before their passions could rise too high. “As much as I hate to break this up, I need to shower and get a change of clothes. It’s about the time Mitchell goes on his morning run, and I’d rather not run into him.”

“You’re not ashamed of me, are you?” Daniel frowned.

“No, nothing like that. I just want to keep this to ourselves for a while.”

He gave her a puzzled look. “That doesn’t seem like you. Besides, it was nearly impossible to keep a secret back at the SGC. In a small community of five people, I’d say it’s definitely impossible.”

She shrugged. “So it’s impossible. Doesn’t mean we can’t try. Anyway, I still need to shower and change, and as I don’t have a change of clothes here…”

“Point taken,” moving off her, he looked over the sides of the bed, locating her discarded clothing. He put her pants, top, and camisole on the bed. “I don’t know where, or how, you flung your panties last night.”

She lightly smacked his butt. “Nice bottom.” Leaning against his back she whispered in his ear, “Don’t worry about my panties. You can find them later.” She snuggled up against his back, wrapped her arms around him, and began planting kisses on his bare shoulders and back.

“I thought you needed to shower and change?” he craned his neck to try and look at her.

“I do.”

“This isn’t exactly getting that done. Not that I mind, but I thought you wanted to avoid Mitchell.”

“Right.” With a final kiss to his cheek, she grabbed her clothes and climbed off the bed; noting with amusement that Daniel was pulling sleep pants on. “Planning on going back to sleep?”

“Maybe,” he stood in front of her and slowly zipped up her fly. “Maybe I just don’t like walking around naked.”

“Maybe,” she put her camisole on and frowned at the untied straps. “You know, I don’t usually undo those.”

“Let me,” Daniel slowly retied the straps, and then slipped his arms around her neck, drawing her head to his, kissing her again.

“You know, you’re not making it easy for me to leave,” she murmured against his lips.

“That’s the idea.”

She groaned and gently pulled away to put her boots on. “I’ll see you at breakfast, Daniel.” With a final kiss, she opened the doors to his room, pulling on her black top as she went.